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Digital Accessibility Lawsuits Reached Record High in 2022

Digital Accessibility Lawsuits Reached Record High in 2022

By: Prudhvi Mandava

Digital accessibility has become an urgent priority for organizations across all industries. The catalyst driving this urgency? The increasing threat of digital accessibility lawsuits against businesses both large and small.

The number of digital accessibility lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) jumped to 3,255 in 2022, a 12 percent increase from 2021 (ADA Title III). These lawsuits alleged that defendants had violated Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) by failing to design their websites and other digital content to be accessible to people with disabilities and who work with assistive technologies such as screen readers. The first such lawsuit in 2017, Gil v. Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., found in favor of the plaintiff because websites are considered “public accommodations” under the ADA. This win for the disability community gave the legal precedent needed to support lawsuits against other organizations with inaccessible content, launching a trend that is showing no signs of slowing in 2023. The threat of lawsuits could increase even more due to the recent introduction of The Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; there is an ever increasing amount of pressure on Congressional bodies to increase the standard of compliance across the web.

In addition to exposing your organization to potential lawsuits and fines, ignoring accessibility in your digital products can alienate your audience, hinder website page views, damage your company’s reputation, and even cost you customers to competitors who provide a better user experience. For these reasons, it is key to set and achieve compliance goals that provide an accessible and productive experience for all, and the time to do so is now.

The instructors at The 508 Institute can train you and your team on WCAG and Section 508 accessibility standards and give you the tools you need to stay up to date with 508 requirements. We offer a variety of courses, customized training, and remediation services that can help you:

  • Develop more accessible source files.
  • Create accurate, descriptive alternative (ALT) text.
  • Design digital content to be color compliant.
  • Design accessible tables.
  • Remediate electronic documents.
  • Incorporate 508 best practices.
  • And more!

Contact our 508 experts at **@**********te.com“>in**@**********te.com for more information.